The Lawrence City Safety Board on May 22 approved an agency services agreement and a HIPAA business associate agreement with Crosswalk Health to let dispatchers redirect some low-acuity 911 calls to nurse navigators.

Chief Wallace, the department chief who presented the item, said the service will let dispatchers transfer appropriate calls to Crosswalk for nurse-navigation, telemedicine or assistance arranging transportation to clinics. "The best news is it costs $0 to the taxpayer," Chief Wallace said.

The program is designed to handle calls that do not require an ambulance response — for example, minor medical complaints — and to reduce unnecessary emergency responses. Chief Wallace said Crosswalk will offer telemedicine and appointment scheduling and can arrange nonemergency transport when needed. He said Crosswalk makes revenue from payers such as insurers, and "patients would not be getting bills from Crosswalk" even if they lack insurance, though subsequent treatment at a clinic could generate charges from that clinic.

Board members asked how the transfer would affect dispatcher workload and whether calls could be transferred back. Chief Wallace said transferring the call frees the dispatcher from that call queue but noted some calls may be returned to dispatch if the nurse navigator determines the patient needs emergency services or insists on an ambulance. He said the rollout will include dispatcher training — "it's not very long" — and likely a roughly 90-day implementation period to allow public and staff education.

Chief Wallace said the city is coordinating with a medical director at Methodist Hospital, adding that "Dr. Paige Asowski is our Methodist Hospital chief medical officer for the city of Lawrence" and that medical direction will flag which calls are appropriate for nurse navigation.

Board member Lawrence moved approval of both the agency services agreement and the HIPAA business associate agreement; board member Miller seconded. The motion carried.

The agreements now move to the mayor for final approval and the city will begin training and a phased rollout if the mayor signs the documents.